1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel carboxymethylidenecycloheptimidazole derivatives and alkali addition salts, a method of their synthesis and their use as potent antihypertensive, anticongestive heart failure agents and intraocular pressure lowering agents.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many therapeutic agents have been developed as antihypertensive, anticongestive heart failure agents and intraocular pressure lowering agents. One approach is to use angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), angiotensinogen is hydrolyzed to angiotensin I (AI) by the renin, and AI is converted to the final product, angiotensin II (AII), which have a strong vasoconstrictive action. It has been well known that AII is related to cause hypertension and congestive heart failure. These ACE inhibitors are currently used to inhibit the formation of AII. Another approach is to block the action of AII at the AII receptor level and several peptide-AII receptor antagonists are reported. However these AII receptor antagonists have a poor oral activity. From this reason, non-peptide receptor antagonist having good oral activity has been required. Recently, several types of non-peptide compounds are proposed as angiotensin II receptor antagonists. For example, Japanese Patent Publications 1-117876 and 3-2169 describe imidazole derivatives, and Japanese Patent Publications 3-95181, 3-5480 and 3-5464 describe imidazopyridine derivatives. Furthermore, we have proposed the cycloheptimidazole derivatives (Japanese Patent application 4-131142).
3. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
A primary object of the present invention is to find a new carboxymethylidenecycloheptimidazole derivatives having an orally active angiotensin II receptor antagonist and provide a treatment agent for hypertension and congestive heart failure or an intraocular pressure reducing agent and a production method thereof.